James Martin - My Kitchen

Cover Page

Title Page My Kitchen James Martin

Introduction Introduction “It’s all in a season.” That’s what my granddad used to say to me. A keen gardener, he would to take me to his allotment and greenhouse whenever I went to visit. That was my first real insight into fresh food and where it comes from – before that it had just been microwaved jacket potatoes or steak with onion rings from a Berni Inn. So, I’m sure it was there – right there – aged five, that the seeds were planted in my mind, and I knew I was going to be a cook. Many people in the UK grow up in urban areas with little or no awareness of where their food comes from and when it is actually in season. In my opinion, this is mainly down to the supermarkets offering the same food week-in, week-out. But the seasons are the planet’s natural cycle and they exist for a reason, so it makes no sense to try and beat them. Think of each changing season as ‘out with the old and in with the new’, welcome the next lot of produce and don’t go searching for out-of-season food. There are so many good reasons to eat what we produce locally, the obvious ones being to support the British farmers, to reduce CO 2 emissions from transport, and above all else to get the best possible taste. You only have to try Jersey Royals or British strawberries to understand what I mean. In a country obsessed with cheaper and cheaper food, we should take a step back and re-assess. If we want great food on our plates we have to be willing to pay for it. I’m not saying it has to be expensive – we’re still talking pence, not pounds and, in fact, food is at its cheapest when in season – even luxury foods like asparagus. Things are already changing for the better, with people learning more about food from books and TV programmes and paying closer attention to what they are eating. But more can still be done. We just need to get out of the habit of expecting what we want whenever we want it. It has always been my mission to champion the food that’s on our doorstep, and this is exactly the food I cook at home, in my own kitchen. Those who have their own garden or allotment will always have access to the utmost in fresh produce. They will also know that it’s a great teaching tool for young and old alike, and that growing your own food can be a source of much satisfaction. Most importantly, if we eat seasonal food it will be at its cheapest because of its abundance, and the flavour will be at its best. This book is all about celebrating this island of ours, and the food that grows on it, and the best way I can get you excited about cooking this way in your own home is to give you the recipes I cook in my own throughout the year. Enjoy, James

Spring Spring Radishes • Asparagus • Spring onions • Leeks Jerusalem artichokes • Spinach • Elderflowers Rhubarb • Parsley • Lamb • Sea bass • Salmon Spring brings a garden to life with the promise of delicious crops to come. In Britain we can enjoy seasonal produce such as wild garlic, Jerusalem artichokes and watercress. Radishes and spring onions push up through the soil and elderflowers fill the hedgerows. Sea bass and salmon are a real treat for seafood lovers, while for meat eaters the end of the season brings with it succulent spring lamb. And I wouldn’t be a true Yorkshireman if I didn’t mention the best bit of all – rhubarb! Harvest from the garden or enjoy the tender pink forced variety, still available at this time of year.

Spring onion potato cakes with fried duck eggs

Cream of Jerusalem artichoke soup with bacon

Frisée, radish and orange salad

Bibb lettuce salad with radishes

Montgomery cheese balls with rosemary

Seared sea bass with blood orange and spring onion salad

Dill-marinated salmon with lime and rhubarb salad

Grilled halibut with champ and lemon caper butter

Mackerel with caramelised radishes

Cod with clams, curly kale and wild garlic

Trout with green beans and almonds

Wok-fried chicken with ginger, chilli and wild garlic

Sautéed chicken livers and mushrooms on toast

Rack of lamb with vegetable broth

Lamb, mint and Little Gem salad

Côte de boeuf with watercress and black beer mustard

Black beer mustard

Juniper-pickled cucumbers

Sliced Yorkshire ham with poached leeks and spring onions

Scotch eggs with curried salad cream

Pressed ham terrine

Rhubarb and ginger syllabub

Orange cheesecake with roasted rhubarb

Crème caramel with strawberries

Pancakes with pistachio gremolata

Baked Alaska with elderflower meringue

Elderflower fritters with maple syrup

Elderflower and lemon cordial

Summer

Pea soup with Little Gem and marjoram

Sweetcorn soup with crab and basil cream

Deep-fried tomato fritters with red onion salad

Tomato, basil and mozzarella pizzas

Slow-roasted tomatoes with Worcestershire sauce

Soused herrings with red chilli and chive cream

Smoked haddock, globe artichoke and lemon risotto

Scallop and squid salad with fennel and rocket

Spicy crab linguini

Grilled sardines with panzanella

Classic chicken chasseur

Sticky chicken wings

Cold chicken breast with warm red onion and grape salad

Chicken with peach and watercress

Beef and fennel koftas

Lemon and rosemary lamb with tahini aubergines

Marinated loin of lamb with warm figs, coriander and honey

Potted salt beef with gherkins

Spatchcock duck with spicy tamarind glaze

Chargrilled rabbit loin with sweetcorn and chilli relish

Pork spare ribs with coleslaw, star anise and whisky glaze

Pan-fried pork fillet with smoky tomato sauce

Poached cherries with almond glaze

Black cherry brownies

Eggy croissants with fresh raspberries and zabaglione

Oven-roasted apricots with honey madeleines

Lemon verbena cake with strawberries and cream

Teacakes with warm strawberries and clotted cream

Spiced redcurrant jelly

Sweet and sour pickled plums

Autumn

Pumpkin soup with chestnut cream

Hazelnut-coated goat’s cheese with lemon and beetroot salad

Cromer crab toastie

Scrambled duck eggs with crispy bacon and watercress

Marinated mackerel with horseradish and crusty bread

Pan-fried lemon sole with clams, coriander and tomato

Herb-crusted cod with spicy cauliflower cheese

Smoked haddock, leek and mascarpone tart

Salmon and pumpkin risotto

Pot-roasted chicken with pumpkin, sage and star anise

Pan-fried chicken with Waldorf salad

Fillet of beef with beetroot and parsley

Rib-eye steak with stick fries and Chateaubriand sauce

Pan-fried calf’s liver with cider-battered onion rings

Roasted grouse with potato, celeriac and parsnip rosti

Roast duck breast with sherry vinegar plums

Rabbit casserole with white wine and grapes

Venison with parsnip purée and roast beets

Pheasant breasts with onion purée and sautéed greens

Pork escalopes with wild mushrooms, juniper and mash

Swiss-style hazelnut meringues with coffee cream

Welsh cakes with poached pears

Baked custard tart with mulled spiced plums

Damson clafoutis

Pistachio coffee cake

Sloe jam

Winter

Chunky vegetable soup with cheesy herb toasts

Leek and potato soup with smoked salmon and poached eggs

Onion soup with Lincolnshire Poacher

Gnocchi with winter pesto

Scallops with black pudding and apple puree

Spicy mussels with coconut and lime

Deep-fried cod cheeks in beer batter

Pigeon with fried green cabbage and almonds